Content Insights Blog

Previously, we looked at how to make your content more readable for search engines. Now, let’s see what you need to know as your site enters visual design, coding and beyond.

After the Content Strategy Stage

OK. The hard part of SEO is over for you content strategists. Or is it? Working with your team to optimize their designs + code is also an important part of the process.  Read More >

SEO (search engine optimization) is effectively describing your site to search engines so they recommend its content to to the right people. Who are the right people? People searching for terms and topics that are relevant to your content.

Without SEO, your content won't appear at the top of search results for Google when you want it to. And, your content won't work well with your own website's search function. (For a refresher on why SEO matters, read our post 10 Reasons to Embrace SEO.)  Read More >

During recent interviews for Phase 2 of our Content & Credibility Study, we have been asking people what web content they find credible and why. As part of that process, I have observed many people’s opinions of search results listings and what makes a result click-worthy. It’s made me think about the importance of a certain content element – the meta description. During our testing, I’ve seen just how important this information is in the decision-making process as users scan search results.

What Is a Meta Description?

The all-important search results listing, or “snippet” in Google speak, is made up of roughly 155 characters of descriptive text that tells users what content is on a page and how it meets their search query. The information displayed in the results listing is created to best match the user’s search terms and can be pulled from a variety of sources, including the meta description. (Other sources could be the Open Directory Project or content from the page itself.) Here's an example of a search result for Content Science. The meta description is displayed under the URL and file format information.   Read More >

As someone who has worked in marketing and advertising for years, I’ve seen certain words that used to be harmless develop negative connotations. Most of us don’t hear the word “advertisement” without thinking of an annoying interruption. Particularly, the acronym “SEO” (short for search engine optimization) has become associated more and more with spam, manipulation, and trickery.

Shifts in the meaning of words are a natural part of lingual evolution, but these particular buzzwords suffer because of the people who exploit their popularity to make a quick and easy buck.  Read More >

When you tackle content problems, don't make the mistake of turning to shortcuts such as SEO snake oil. Learn why in this article by Colleen Jones for Smashing Magazine.

Read the article >
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